US-12626085-B1 - Method of interlaying a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal card

US12626085B1US 12626085 B1US12626085 B1US 12626085B1US-12626085-B1

Abstract

A method of interlaying a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card. The metal core includes a metal layer having one or more openings formed therein (such as to receive a payment module or another electronic component or aesthetic feature). To interlay the metal core, the metal layer is laminated with a heat activated film layer and a release liner, and the laminated structure is subsequently placed on a heating plate. A polymer is applied only to the one or more openings. Using a containment structure placed over the metal core layer and a combination of heat, vacuum pressure, and pressurized inert gas, the method includes adhering and curing the polymer to the heat activated film to complete the lamination process. After curing, excess polymer is removed via a finishing edge (such as a grinder, a sander, a milling machine, or as similar edge).

Inventors

Michael Scruggs

Assignees

INTERACTIVE CARDS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250429

Claims (20)

1 . A method of interlaying a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card, the method comprising the steps of: providing layered structure comprised of a metal layer overlying a film layer, the metal layer having at least one aperture such that the film layer and the at least one aperture form a pocket; selectively filling the pocket with a polymer without coating an entire top surface of the metal layer, wherein an amount of the polymer is greater than a volume of the pocket; applying an amount of heat to the polymer, thereby curing the polymer; and removing an excess amount of polymer from the top surface of the metal layer, wherein the excess amount of polymer resides above the top surface of the metal layer, thereby forming a metal core with at least one filled aperture.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the excess amount of polymer includes disposing a finishing edge proximate to the surface of the metal layer and laterally translating the finishing edge along the top surface of the metal layer.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the excess amount of polymer extends between 0.00015 and 0.0003 inches above the top surface of the metal layer.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: placing the layered structure onto a heating plate, the heating plate defining at least one channel therethrough, wherein the at least one channel does not align with the at least one aperture in the metal layer; applying, through the at least one channel, a negative pressure to secure the layered structure to the heating plate.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising applying a containment structure to the heating plate to seal the layered structure within a void defined by the heating plate and the containment structure and applying a negative pressure within the void thereby reducing bubbles formed within the polymer.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising applying a pressurized inert gas within the void to further reduce a volume of bubbles formed within the polymer.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the film layer is comprised of a heat activated cross-linking material.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the film layer has a thickness of between approximately 0.0005 and 0.005 inches.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of between approximately 0.005 and 0.030 inches.
10 . A method of manufacturing a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card, the method comprising the steps of: providing pre-laminated structure comprised of a metal layer overlying a film layer, the metal layer having at least one aperture such that the film layer and the at least one aperture form a pocket; selectively filling the pocket with a polymer without coating an entire top surface of the metal layer, wherein an amount of the polymer is greater than a volume of the pocket; applying an amount of heat to the pre-laminated structure; removing an excess amount of polymer from the metal layer, wherein the excess amount of polymer resides above the top surface of the metal layer, thereby forming a metal core with at least one filled aperture.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein removing the excess amount of polymer includes disposing a finishing edge proximate to the surface of the metal layer and laterally translating the finishing edge along the top surface of the metal layer.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the excess amount of polymer extends between 0.00015 and 0.0003 inches above the top surface of the metal layer.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further including: placing the pre-laminated structure onto a heating plate, the heating plate defining at least one channel therethrough, wherein the at least one channel does not align with the at least one aperture in the metal layer; applying a containment structure to seal the pre-laminated structure within a void defined by the heating plate and the containment structure; applying a negative pressure in the void to reduce bubbles formed in the polymer and applying a positive pressurized inert gas within the void to further reduce a volume of bubbles formed within the polymer.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the film layer is comprised of a heat activated cross-linking material.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the film layer has a thickness of between 0.0005 and 0.005 inches.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of between approximately 0.005 and 0.030 inches.
17 . A metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card, comprising: a metal layer overlying a film layer; the metal layer including at least one aperture, such that the film layer and the at least one aperture form a pocket; a cured polymer disposed within the pocket and not about an entire top surface of the metal layer, wherein an amount of the polymer is greater than a volume of the pocket and an excess amount of polymer resides above the top surface of the metal layer.
18 . The metal core of claim 17 , wherein the film layer is comprised of a heat activated cross-linking material and has a thickness of between approximately 0.0005 and 0.005 inches.
19 . The metal core of claim 17 , wherein the excess amount of polymer extends between 0.00015 and 0.0003 inches above the top surface of the metal layer.
20 . The metal core of claim 17 , wherein the metal layer has a thickness of between approximately 0.005 and 0.030 inches.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This nonprovisional application is a continuation of and claims priority to nonprovisional application Ser. No. 18/749,038, entitled “Method of Interlaying a Metal Core for a Dual-Layer Electronic Metal Card,” filed Jun. 20, 2024 by the same inventor(s), which claims priority to provisional application No. 63/522,768, entitled “Method of Interlaying a Metal Core for a Dual-Layer Electronic Metal Card,” filed Jun. 23, 2023 by the same inventor(s). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates, generally, to electronic cards, particularly to electronic metal cards. More specifically, it relates to a method of creating a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card that improves card integrity and longevity while minimizing material requirements. 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art In recent years, metal payment cards have gained popularity within the electronic payment card industry, with many consumers preferring metal cards to polymer-based cards. In addition, payment cards increasingly include payment modules, other electronic components, or aesthetic features beyond a simple magnetic payment strip. The increased complexity in the design and function of payment cards has resulted in the need to modify manufacturing processes for payment cards. For example, payment cards including payment modules require the insertion of such payment modules into a core of the payment cards. As such, the payment card must include an aperture or indentation to receive the payment module therein. However, such complex multi-component designs impact the integrity and longevity of the payment cards, as compared to traditional magnetic strip-based cards. For example, many cards require a primer (such as a polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, film with an opposing adhesive layer) to bond a card, but the complex layers result in a card that is thicker than desired, and include a vast amount of waste materials. Attempts have been made to use a thinner coating to minimize card thickness, but many thinner coatings do not function properly and often require replacement cards. For example, liquid primers have been used for bonding and lamination of metal cores; while the resulting card is sufficiently thin, at times, the outer layers can delaminate at high temperatures and humidities. In addition, the use of a primer or coating can reduce the percentage of metal in a finished payment card due to the extra bonding materials within the card's core. A lower metallic composition percentage can reduce the weight of the payment card and can alter tactile and audial properties associated with the card. Accordingly, what is needed is an improved method of interlaying a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card to maximize card integrity and longevity while minimizing material requirements. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome. All referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies, and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicant in no way disclaims these technical aspects. It is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein. The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein. In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a method of creating a metal core for a dual-layer electronic metal payment card is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention. The novel method includes a step of overlaying a